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Major city · United Kingdom

Birsay

Base here only if you have a car or bike: one night covers the palace, the tidal Brough and the coastal walk; without wheels, day-trip from Kirkwall.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
GBP
Best months
May–Sep
avoid Nov–Feb (short days, weather), and any Sunday if you rely on buses
Airport
KOI
Nights
1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
  • Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
  • Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Neither the UK nor Ireland is part of Schengen: days spent here do not count towards the 90/180-day Schengen limit, and a Schengen visa does not admit you to either country.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗The island of Ireland runs on two currencies: euro in the Republic, pound sterling in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Carry a card that pays in both without fees.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Both islands drive on the left. Speed limits are in miles per hour in the UK (including Northern Ireland) and in kilometres per hour in the Republic of Ireland.
  • United Kingdom ↗Most visitors who do not need a UK visa now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling; this includes EU nationals. Irish citizens are exempt. Check the UK government site for your passport.
  • United Kingdom ↗The UK is outside the EU and the Schengen area; a Schengen visa is not valid for the UK.
  • United Kingdom ↗Driving is on the left; London has congestion and emissions charges for most vehicles, so do not drive in the city.

Birsay is a small village on the north coast of Orkney Mainland, with a ruined 16th-century Earl's Palace and the Brough of Birsay, a tidal island holding Norse and Pictish remains. The coast path, a working 19th-century mill and a farm museum fill a half-day. Buses run Monday to Saturday only and there is no mobile signal, so most visitors come by car or bike and stay one night.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Birsay, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee or tea in a café£3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
  • Sit-down mealPub main course£14–20 (≈ US$19–30)
  • Street or quick mealSoup and sandwich lunch£8–14 (≈ US$11–19)
  • Museum or sight ticketHomemade pie at Palace Stores£3–5 (≈ US$4–7)
  • Budget bedCampsite pitch, a night, per person£10 (≈ US$14)
  • Mid-range bedGuesthouse or hotel double, a night, per room£120 (≈ US$160)
  • High-end bedGuesthouse or hotel double, a night, per room£200 (≈ US$300)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget £45 (≈ US$60) · Mid £80 (≈ US$110) · High £150 (≈ US$200)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Earl's PalaceBrough of Birsay tidal islandBarony MillsNorth coast walking and seabird colonies
Airports
KOI Kirkwall Airport (About 45 min by road via the A965 and A986/A967; no direct bus, so taxi or hire car.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Birsay: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

6°C

1°C

20 rd

Feb

6°C

1°C

16 rd

Mar

7°C

2°C

17 rd

Apr

9°C

3°C

14 rd

May

12°C

5°C

12 rd

Jun

14°C

8°C

11 rd

Jul

16°C

10°C

12 rd

Aug

16°C

10°C

13 rd

Sep

14°C

9°C

15 rd

Oct

11°C

6°C

18 rd

Nov

8°C

3°C

19 rd

Dec

6°C

1°C

20 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The village is walkable. Outlying sites — Broch of Gurness, Click Mill, Kirbuster — need a car, taxi or bike; the coast road A966 links them. Check tide times before crossing to the Brough.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Skara Brae and Stenness

go

Door to door: About 40 min

A986 then A967 south by car, about 25 min

Neolithic village and standing stones; book Skara Brae ahead in summer.

Broch of Gurness

go

Door to door: About 35 min

A966 east past Evie, about 20 min by car

Iron Age village and visitor centre, April–Sep daily.

Kirkwallgo

Door to door: About 1 h

Bus 6 or 7 Monday–Saturday, about 45 min; car via A967 and A986

Cathedral, museums and the main bus and ferry hub.

Stromness

go

Door to door: About 45 min

A967 south by car, about 30 min; limited early buses

Pier Arts Centre and ferries to Hoy.

Rousay

overnight

Door to door: About 1 h 30 min

Drive to Tingwall, then the ferry

Prehistoric sites need a full day or a night on the island.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Birsay village

Palace, store and the Brough causeway within walking distance; the practical choice for one night.

Birsay Outdoor Centre

Hostel and campsite south of the village; open all year for beds, camping April–Sep.

Stromness

About 30 min by road; more beds, food and ferry links if Birsay is full.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
£45–70 (≈ US$60–95) excl. bed
Mid
£70–120 (≈ US$95–160) excl. bed
High
£120 (≈ US$160)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Guesthouse or hotel double1 × 1 night × £120£120
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × £80£160
Car hire, one day1 × £50£50
Brough of Birsay adult entry2 × £5£10
Barony Mills adult entry2 × £5£10
eSIM, about a week of data2 × £15£30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge£38
Trip total≈ £209 per person per day, bed included£418≈ US$600

Few rooms in Birsay; Stromness has more choice.

2026 estimate in pounds; travel to Orkney excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee or tea in a café£3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
Soup and sandwich lunch£8–14 (≈ US$11–19)
Homemade pie at Palace Stores£3–5 (≈ US$4–7)
Pub main course£14–20 (≈ US$19–30)
Barony Mills adult entry£5 (≈ US$7)
Brough of Birsay adult entry£5 (≈ US$7)
Broch of Gurness adult entry£7.50 (≈ US$10)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Very low crime; the real risks are tide cut-offs on the Brough causeway, fast-changing coastal weather and having no phone signal — carry a paper map and tell someone your plan.
  • The Brough causeway is passable only about two hours either side of low tide: check Easytide with Stromness or Tingwall as the reference port before you set out.
  • No mobile signal from any UK carrier in Birsay: download maps, tide times and tickets before you arrive.
  • Buses run Monday to Saturday only, with a handful of departures; there is no Sunday service.
  • Barony Mills and Kirbuster Farm Museum are seasonal: May–Sep and Mar–Oct respectively, so check before travelling.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance, coastguard
999
Police non-urgent
101
NHS non-urgent
111

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

BirsayBirsay

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance, coastguard999
  • Police non-urgent101
  • NHS non-urgent111

Embassy

No consulates in Orkney; embassies and consulates-general are in Edinburgh or London (check).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Bus 6 or 7, Kirkwall → Birsay: about 45 min, Monday–Saturday only (fare check)
  • Taxi, Kirkwall → Birsay: about 45 min (fare check)
  • Brough of Birsay entry: adult £5 (≈ US$7), mid-June to Sep, tide-dependent

No mobile signal in Birsay: save this card offline.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Birsay. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Sep · avoid Nov–Feb (short days, weather), and any Sunday if you rely on buses · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. An airport-to-bed path that says whether a late landing still works
  2. Walking clusters with bag rules
  3. Day plans checked against opening hours
  4. Field-verified times and fares

Meanwhile

Back to United Kingdom

Sources